Transom-operator.



3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. B. SMYSER.

TRANSOM OPERATOR.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1913.

wi ime/mec j a/ M L. B. SMYSER.

TRANSOM OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1913.

1,070,358. Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

qwdmuoes 3 wuw/toz Mala.

L. B. SMYSER.

TRANSOM OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a, 1913.

1,070,358, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS B. SMYSER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TRANSOM-OPERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, LOUIS B. SMYsnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transom-Operators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improved operating means for transoms and other swing ing closures and aims to provide primarily, effective means for operating the transom and for compounding the operating leverage so as to secure the greatest operating power at the time of the greatest load on the operating parts, such for instance as when it is deslred to move the transom against the force of gravity.

A preferable embodiment of the present improvement is described in detail in the following specification and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part thereof.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a View in elevation and on a reduced scale of my improved operating means as applied to a transom operator of the well known concealed type, the transom being shown in open position with the greatest load imposed upon the operating parts. Fig. 2 is a front edge view, partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the transom itself being shown in sect-ion on the plane of the line 50-00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, and on an enlarged scale, of the parts shown in Fig. 1 but with the transom moved to closed position, the operating parts being in position of least load. Figs. 4-6 inclusive, are enlarged detail views of parts of the operating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a modified form of operating means, the transom being shown in open position. Fig. 8 is a similar view of a slightly modified arrangement of operating arts.

p Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates one side of a door casing or frame, and 2 a plate constituting a main frame or unit mounting for the various parts of the operating mechanism. This plate is arranged to be secured to the inside of a door casing by screws or other suitable means.

3 refers to the lintel bar and 4 to a transom located above said bar. This transom may be of usual construction and is preferably providecl with hinging means in the form of a pivot bearing which passes through the side 1 of the door frame, and which carries at its outer end the usual crank arm. This connection may be effected by means of a pivot stud forming arock shaft and having an intermediate portion 7 journaled in a support or bushing 2 which may be formed by offsetting the plate 2. The extremities 7 of this stud are preferably squared or made angular in cross section in order that they may be rigidly connected to the transom and to the crank arm. The transom itself, may have its edge recessed to receive a keeper plate 5 provided at its lower end with a socket 5 therein, shaped to receive the inner squared end 7 of the rock shaft or stud 7 In order that the transom may be retained on the stud and also may be readily removed therefrom, a keeper pin 5 is also preferably provided. To the outer squared end 7 of this stud, the lower end of a crank arm 6 is secured, this crank arm being suitably apertured to fit over and be rigidly connected with the squared outer end of said stud. The means for rocking this shaft to swing the transom comprises a vertical reciprocating bar 8 carried in guides on the plate 2 and vertically movable through the medium of an operating handle 9 and a. suitable gearing controlled thereby. The lower end of this rod 8 may be toothed to cooperate with this gearing. The specific form of this portion of the operating mechanism forms no part of the present invention. For a detailed description of a suitable gear connection, such as shown herein, reference may be had to my copending application Serial No. 753,953.

The operating bar 8 is provided at a suitable point with an offset 8 to which the lower end of a link 10 is pivotally secured. Rigidly secured to the plate 2 out of line with and on acenter diflerent from that of the pivot stud 7, is an elliptical gear segment 11, the arc of said gear segment extending within and being eccentric to the arc of movement of the outer end of the crank arm 6.

12 designates a second elliptical gear seg ment having an offsetarm 12 toothed edge and adjacent one end of the elliptical gear segment 12, the outer end of the crank arm 6, which point of connection readily mounted at its upper end or at some ini'eru'iediate point, it being understood of course, that the end of the transom opposite the point *of crank connection is provided with an appropriate concentric pivotal support whereby it will be supported at each end. In describing and illustrating the transom as being pivotally supported in a particular manner, it will be understood that I am only showing one arrangement for thepurposesof-description. Furthermore, while I have shown the transom connected directly to the shaft of the crank 6, a sliding connection may be provided instead, such as shown in my copending application hereinbefore referred to, or as shown in U. S.

Patent to ll eil 802,863, dated October 17, 1905. As far as the present invention is concerned, these various means of connect ing the shaft to the transom are equivalents,

the present invention residing more particularly in the improved operating :means by which the shaft may be turned to move the transom from opened to closed position and vice versa.

Owing to the use of the elliptical gearing, a differential operating leverage is secured against the transom shaft. This may be accomplished, as shown in Figs. 15 of the drawings, by utilizing a stationary elliptical .gear segment positioned on a center different from the shaft crank and lying within the radius of said crank, and by pivotally connecting said crank to a second elliptical gear segment held in mesh with the first by said crank and freely movable by appropriate operating means on the toothed periphery of said segment, this movement serving to turn the crank and its shaft. To secure the maximum efficiency the crank is pivotally connected to the second elliptica l gear adjacent one extremity thereof. As this gear segment moves over the periphery of the fixed elliptical segment, its point of This second gear segment meshes with the first and rigid gear segment, and has pivotally connectcd thereto at a point rearwardly of its,

The upper engagement with the fixed segment, forming the fulcrum of the lever member 1219fl, changes relative to the point of load on said lever member (2'. c. the point (13) of connection of the crank 6 to segment 12). The length of .the resistance arm of said lever increases, therefore, from a minimum to a maximum, thereby decreasing the leverage against the crank arm from a maximum to a minimum. The crank connection to the transom and to the movable gear segment is such that the maximum leverage is secured when the closure is in the position which imposes the greatest load on the operating parts,in the present showing, when the transom is open. In this position the length of the power arm of the lever member is greatest and that of the resistance arm is lea-st, relatively. As said lever member is operated through link 10, bar 8, and the operating gearing, it is pulled downwardly, and moves the transom toward closed position. The fulcrum point of this lever member changes, moving toward the axis of the CliUlTlI and increasing the length of the resistance arm of the lever so that when the transom is closed *or has reached the point of least load, the leverage against the crank is at a minimum. This does not constitute a disadvantage in opening the transom as this operation is materially aided and for the most part is accomplished by gravity. Instead of providing a fixed elliptical gear segment and the transom crank, I may combine the two as illustrated in the modified construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In Fig. 7. 14 designates an elliptical gear segment appropriately recessed adjacent one end and fitting over the squared end 7 of the rock shaft, this gear segment constituting the shaft operating crank and having one edge formed with the gear teeth 14 providing the elliptical gear segment. A second elliptical gear segment 15 is provided, pivoted adjacent the end opposite the pivot point 7 of the first gear segment and having one=edge likewise provided with gear teeth 15 forming the elliptical gear seg ment and meshing with the gear teeth l f on the adjacent edge of the transom operating crank member 14. The end of the operating link 10 is pivotally connected to the second gear segment 15 adjacent its non-pivoted end, as at 16. The pivot point of the gear segment 15 forms the fulcrum of the operating lever comprised by said gear and because of the elliptical "gearing the point of load engagement of the first gear member 14 therewith, varies as the two gear members are moved relative to each other, this variance in the relative point of load on the lever member 15 providing an increase in the length of the resistance arm of said lever from a minimum at the position of least transom load, or, in the present instance,

when the transom is closed. In the drawing, the transom 4 is shown in partly open position. Movement of the operating gearing to throw the link 10 upwardly will transmit through the gearing a movement of the transom operating gear segment 1&, in a direction to move the transom toclo-sed position, the leverage against said crank member 14 reaching a minimum when the transom has reached closed position, and being at a maximum when the transom has been fully opened, as will be obvious.

In Fig. 8 the same general arrangement is shown, but with the angle of the elliptical gear members relative to the transom varied and with the connection of the operating link 10 likewise varied. In this figure of the drawings, 17 indicates the first elliptical gear segment forming the transom operating crank, this gear segment being apertured adjacent one end to fit over the squared end 7 of the rock shaft of the transom, and having one edge provided with the gear teeth 17. A second elliptical gear member 18 is provided pivoted adjacent one end as at 19 and opposite to the pivot point 7 of the first gear member 17. This second gear member forms an operating lever member and is provided at one edge with gear teeth 18 meshing with the gear teeth on the adjacent edge of the first gear member 17. To provide for the attachment of the operating link 10, the gear member 18 is provided with an offset arm 20, to which the upper end of the link 10 is pivotally connected as at 21. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as that of the form shown in Fig. 7, and need not be restated here, it being obvious that the advantages in leverage accruing from the use of elliptical gearing is secured in each case, as heretofore recited.

In all of the forms described, a compensating spring 22 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided, one end of said spring being hooked to the offset 8 and the other end being suitably anchored on the plate 2, as to the stud 23. This spring assists in maintaining the operating parts in transom closed position and also, being tensioned by the opening of the transom, operates to assist the return of the operating parts to transom closed position proportionately to the transom load on said parts.

I have illustrated and described the invention as having specific embodiments. While these are preferable, it will be obvious that various changes may be made in structure and in relative arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim. therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Operating means for swinging closures comprising a rock shaft arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, and means for rocking said shaft to operate said closure, said means including cooperating elliptical gear elements and means for operating one of said gear elements.

2. Operating means for swinging closures comprising a rock shaft arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, and means for rocking said shaft to operate said closure, said means including cooperating elliptical gear elements and' means for operating one of said gear elements, and a compensating spring connected to said operating means and arranged to assist the same proportionately with the load thereon.

3. Operating means for vertically swinging closures comprising a rock shaft arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, and means for rocking said shaft to operate said closure including two cooperating elliptical gear elements, one of said elements being operatively connected to said rock shaft, and means for moving one of said gear element-s to rock said shaft, said gear elements being constructed and arranged to cooperate with said shaft to provide a maximum operating leverage thereagainst at the point of greatest closure load thereon.

4. Operating means for vertically swinging closures comprising a rock shaft arranged for connection to and operation ofa swinging closure, a crank arm carried by said rock shaft, cooperating elliptical gear elements, and means for operating one of said elements to swing said crank, said operated gear element cooperating with said crank and the other of said gear elements to provide a maximum operating leverage against said rock shaft at the point of greatest closure load thereon.

5. Operating means for swinging closures comprising a crank arm arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, cooperating elliptical gear elements, one of said gears being pivotally connected to said crank arm and means for moving said crankconnected gear element to swing said crank.

6. Operating means for swinging closures comprising a crank arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, a fixed elliptical gear positioned within the radius of said crank and out of the line of its axis, a second elliptical gear element pivotally connected to said crank and freely engagingwith and rotatable on said fixed gear, and means for swinging said movable gear about said fixed gear to thereby operate said crank.

7. Operating means for swinging closures comprising a crank arranged for connection to and operation of a swinging closure, a

fixed elliptical gear positioned Within the movable gear about said fixed .gear on said radius of said crank and out of the line of crank connection as a moving pivot.

its axis, a second elliptical gear pivotally LOUIS B SMYSER connected to said crank at a point radially beyond said fixed gear and freely engaging with and rotatable on said gear, and manually controlled means for swinging said Witnesses WILLIAM V. COLLINS, NEWTON G. CURTIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

